Frankly, there’s no reason for Hawks fans to feel good about the direction the organization is heading in.
In 2022, the Hawks took a massive gamble that’s still affecting them today.
“This might be a controversial pick, since Atlanta’s decision at the 2018 draft to swap out Luka Dončić for Trae Young and a first-round pick later spent on Cam Reddish could lead to a lifetime of regret,” Bleacher Report’s Zach Buckley wrote last Thursday.
“At least that choice—unforgivable as it may appear in hindsight—is behind the franchise, though. As for the Hawks’ 2022 all-in wager on (Dejounte) Murray, though, they can’t even get the grief process started on that misfire. That’s because the damage done with that deal is ongoing.”
“Want to know why Atlanta traded away Murray but stopped short of entering a tear-down tank job this summer? It’s because this trade cost the Hawks’ control of their 2025, 2026 and 2027 first-round picks.”
“Even if they hit the draft lottery jackpot, the prize wouldn’t belong to them. They are indefinitely trapped on the treadmill of mediocrity, and because of this trade, it could be years before they’re able to put any sort of roster-building plan into practice.”
After falling to the Miami Heat in the first round of the 2022 playoffs, the Hawks traded Danilo Gallinari and three future first-round draft picks to the San Antonio Spurs in exchange for Murray and Jock Landale.
It goes without saying Atlanta was intrigued by the idea of the Washington product elevating the Hawks’ franchise.
Going into the 2023-24 season, the Hawks weren’t in a terrible spot. Sure, there were still lingering questions surrounding Murray and Young’s ability to coexist, but the organization was two wins away from securing their fourth consecutive playoff berth.
Unfortunately, Atlanta surrendered 131 points to the Chicago Bulls in the No. 9 vs. No. 10 Play-In game and suffered a 15-point season-ending defeat.
After anointing Young the face of the franchise in July, the organization shipped Murray to the New Orleans Pelicans for Larry Nance Jr., Dyson Daniels, E.J. Liddell, Cody Zeller, and two future first-round draft picks.
The Hawks’ 2022 blunder will make building a Western Conference-contending squad challenging. In addition to accepting the Murray experiment was a failure, Atlanta must craft a backup plan for the franchise’s future.
In the meantime, it’s safe to assume the Hawks aren’t going anywhere anytime soon.
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